Printing-wheel.



nu. 7|4,a35. Patented nec. 2, 1902.

0. N. TEvANm-m.

PRINTING WHEEL.

(Application led. Oct. 2 4, 1901.) (No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

1n: mams PETERS no. muro-Unio., wAsHmoToN. n. c.

No. 7|4,835. Patented D60. 2V, |902.

0. N. TEVANDER.

PRINTING WHEEL.

(Appxicaeion med occ. 24. 1901.)

3 'Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

No. 7|4,835. Patented 006.12, |902.

0. N. TEVANDEB.

PRINTING WHEEL.

' (Appliton filed 4, 901.) (lla Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

if U/mmmmmmmw ,'UUUUUUU-mm-UUUUUUUU l UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM UNTTED STATESi PATENT OEEICE.

OLOF N. TEVANDER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO GEORGEL. THOMPSON AND C. H.' FOSTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PRINTING-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,835, dated December2, 1902.

Application led October 24, 1901. Serial No. 79,824. (No model.)

[o @M w/tom/ t may concern:

Be it known that I, OLOF N. TEVANDER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing-Wheels, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates toimprovements in printing-wheels of that classwhich are adaptro ed to be used in place of stencils for marking cases,boxes, and the like for shipment and for other similar purposes. Asheretofore constructed the usefulness of devices of this character hasbeen greatly limited by the dil"- culty of making the numerous changesin the printing face or type of the wheel necessary to print the manydifferent addresses to which goods must be sent in the course of anyordinary shipping business. To obviate zo this diliiculty, it has beenproposed to mount the type on a iiexible sheet, which could bedetachably secured to the Wheel or roller, so that by having a number ofsheets corresponding to the number of different addresses to be printeda single printing-wheel could be used for printing all the addresses byinterchanging the type-sheet, as required. As heretofore practiced,however, such flexible typesheet has either been provided in the 3o formof an endless band large enough to slip over the end of the roller or inthe form of a fixed length of band which was tightly stretched upon theroller by means of clamping devices to which the opposite ends weresecured. In either case the removal of one sheet and the substitution ofanother involves an undue amount of time and attention. The slipping onof an endless band necessitates the removal of the roller from 4o thehandle-frame in which it is ordinarily mounted as well as the use of aband-tightener to take up the slack in the sheet and hold it firmly uponthe roller, While the bending of a type-sheet around'the roller andsecuring of it at both ends requires the use of two separate clampingdevices and a more or less troublesome manipulation of the sheet to passit between the roller and handle-frame and avoid the obstruction offeredby the ink- 5o ing devices or rolls carried by such frame. Moreoveiginboth cases and whether the sheet `is an endless band or is simplysecured by its ends between a pair of clamps the length of the sheet isfixed and must be the same Whether the legend or address to be printedis long or short. Where a continuous band is used, this length mustalways be greater than the circumference of the roller, and wherestretched beneath clamps the distance between the clamps, andconsequently the 6o length of the band, must be great enough to providefor the longest legend or address which the wheel is intended to print.These objections have been practically so serious as to prevent anyconsiderable adoption of the interchangeable type-sheet feature, and asgenerally practiced the typesheet has been permanently secured to theroller by tacking or cementing it thereon.

The object of the present invention is to 7o render the use ofinterchangeable type-sheets practicable and convenient by clamping theflexible sheet to the printing Wheel or roller at its front endonly,leaving its other end detached and loose from the roller andextending rearwardly from the clamp as far as need be to accommodate thelength of legend necessary for the address to be printed. No attempt ismade to Wrap the type-sheet about the roller or hold it taut thereon;but when 8o the wheel is rolled forward along the surface of the box orcase to be printed the clamped front end of the sheet will be carriedaround beneath the roller, past the inking devices,and

.between the roller and the surface of the box ior shipping-case, so asto transfer to the latter the imprint of its type. unany type-sheetsneeded for each wheel to Qbe provided in a continuous web or roll fromThis enables the which pieces of the length required for the 9oydifferent sheets may be clipped from time to time as called for.

Upon the sheets thus clipped olf from the web or roll will be mountedtypes forming the legend or address which it is desired to print, and toenable such types g5 to be readily and interchangeably secured on thesheet the continuous web is provided throughout its entire length withrows of typereceiving slots with which the types will be constructed todetachably interlock.

In the further carrying out of the invention inking devices or rolls aremounted on IOO the handle-frame at the front of the wheel (consideredwith reference to the direction toward which the wheel is moved toaccomplish the printing operation) and a stop device is arranged tonormally lock the Wheel stationary when the clamp which secures thefront end of the type-sheet to the roller occupies a position just aboveand to the rear of these inking-rolls. This leaves the upper side of thewheel clear for the introduction of the type-sheet, the free end ofwhich can then extend indefinitely rearward over the handle-framewithout interference with the latter, and it also brings the first ofthe type as near as practicable to the printing-point, so that when thestop device is released the printing operation will begin as soon as thewheel has moved forward far enough to carry the front edge of the sheetfairly past the inking-rolls.

The invention consists in the matters thus and hereinafter set forth andparticularly pointed outin the appended claims and will .be fullyunderstood from the following description of the devices illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan View of aprintingwheel constructed in accordance with my invention with thetype-sheet removed therefrom. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3is a sectional side elevation thereof with the type-bearing sheetapplied thereto. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the self-inkingroller. Fig. 5 is a transverse section thereof, taken on line 5 5 ofFig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail View of the iiexible type-sheet-clampingdevice removed from the cylinder. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail thereof,taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail taken on line8 8 of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail of the locking device, takenon line 9 9 of Fig. 1. Fig. 10 isa transverse sectional detail showingthe manner in which the type lie in relation to the printing-wheel. Fig.11 is a top plan View of one form of type-plate. Fig. 12 is an enlargeddetail thereof, showing the mounting of the type therein. Fig. 13 is asectional detail taken on line 13 13 of Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a sectionaldetail taken on line 14 14 of Fig. 12. Fig. 15 is an enlarged detailtaken on line 15 15 of Fig. 13. Figs. 16 and 17 are details showingmodified forms of type-receiving slots. Fig. 18 is a detail showing onemanner of inserting the type in slots of the form shown in Fig; 17. Fig.19 is a similar detail showing another manner of inserting the type insuch slots.

In said drawings, 1 designates a cylindric roller which may convenientlybe made of metal, aluminium being preferred on account of itslightness.This roller is journaled within a frame 2, provided with a handle 3 andhaving inking-rolls 4, 5, and 6 mounted at its front end in closeproximity to the cylinder, adjustment being provided for between thecylinder and inking-rolls by journaling the cylinder upon eccentric-pins7, which can be secured in any desired position of rotation byset-screws 8.

S designates a flexible type-bearing sheet which is made entirelyseparate from the cylinder 1, but is designed to be detachably securedthereto along its front edge by a clamp 9 on the cylinder. This clampcomprises a jaw-plate 10, which projects through the slot 11 in thecircumferential wall of the cylinder and is mounted to oscillate uponpivot-screws 12, passing through the end walls 13 of the cylinder. Aninwardly-projecting lip 14 is formed on this jaw-plate, and immediatelyabove this lip is a cam-shaft 15, which eX- tends through the end wallsof the cylinder and is provided on one of its projecting ends with alinger-lever 16 by which it may be oscillated. A spring 17, insertedbetween the circumferential wall of the cylinder and a lug 18 on theclamp, serves to normally keep the latter open; but a partial rotationof the cam-shaft 15 will force down the lip 14 and swing the jaw-plate10 inwardly against the outer face of the cylinder along the upper edgeof the slot 11,as shown in Figs. 3 and 7.

Pivotally attached at 19 to the handle 3 of the frame is alatching-lever 20, the outer end of which operatively engages alockingpin 21, which extends slidingly through an aperture in the frameand is adapted to enter a socket 22 in the cylinder, such lockingpinbeing normally projected into this socket by a spring 23, insertedbetween the handle and latching-lever 20, and thereby preventing thecylinder from rotating except at such times as the latching-lever ispressed against the handle. When thus locked, the cylinder is in suchposition that the clamp 9 stands in close proximity to the uppermostinkingroll 4, Fig. 3, and it is contemplated that the .type-sheet S willbe inserted in the clamp when the cylinder is in this position. When thetype-sheet is thus inserted and clamped fast, the wheel is ready toprint upon any surface over which it can be rolled, the latch 2O beingfirst pressed against the handle to withdraw the locking-pin and releasethe cylinder. To accomplish the printing operation, the wheel will bepushed forward in the direction of the inking-rolls, and the directionof rotation of the cylinder will consequently be such as to carry theclamp downwardly past the inking-rolls and upwardly past the handle.(See arrows in Fig. 3.) The iexible type-sheet S during this movementwill wrap itself about the cylinder and be drawn between the cylinderand the surface (usually that of a box or shipping-case) upon which theapparatus rests, thereby impressing upon such surface an imprint of thetype carried by the sheet. The length of the type-sheet is made suchthat the impression is completed by the time the cylinder has made onecomplete revolution, at the termination of which the locking-pin 21 willsnap into its socket in the cylinder again under the pressure of thespring 23. The printing IOO IIO

operation may then be repeated upon another box or shipping-case withthe same typesheet, or the clamp may be opened to release this sheet andpermit the insertion of a different one for the marking of another boxor boxes, it being contemplated that any desired number of differenttype-sheets will be provided with each wheel, so that dierent shippingaddresses or labels may be readily imprinted in rapid succession with asingle apparatus by clamping the several type-sheets upon the cylinderin succession as required.

The type upon the flexible sheet S may in some instances be madeintegral therewith or permanently secured thereto; but as a furtherimprovement my invention contemplates the provision in connection withsuch a iieXible sheet of removable types T, capable of being`interchanged as desired. This is herein shown as convenientlyaccomplished by providing the sheet with type-receiving slots s and theunder surface of the type, which will ordinarily be made of rubber, withdownwardly projecting and laterally -grooved tongues, which can bethrust through the slots and made to interlock with the edges thereof.As shown in Figs. 11 to 16, inclusive, these slots s are made T-shapedor with wider portions s at one end and through which the Wider portionsof the tongues t can be inserted and drawn longitudinally until the typeis fully seated in the slot, the body of the type bending, after themanner shown in Fig. 14, to permit of its being inserted in this manner.The form of slot shown in Fig. 16 is the same, except that a widerportion s is provided at both ends of the slot to permit the type to beinserted from either direction. As shown in Fig. 17, however, the slotis of uniform width throughout, and the type is inserted either bypressing its tongue t forcibly down through the slot, as shown in Fig.18, or by compressing the wider portion of the tongue with a pair ofpliers P and then permitting it to expand again after being drawnthrough the slot by the pliers, the ends of the pliers being purposelyshaped so that they may be introduced through the slot to grasp thetype, as shown in Fig. 19, and yet other forms of slot and ofinterlocking connections between the type-sheet and types may obviouslyalso be devised. The type-sheet itself may be made of any suitable sheetmaterial having the desired exibility and at the same time enoughstiffness to securely hold the type in proper relative position,celluloid, for example, being a satisfactory material for this purpose.Such sheets may be provided in continuous strips and cut or broken offinto suitable lengths to accommodate different addresses or labels to beprinted. The severing of the strip will preferably be done through theslots S, as shown in Fig. 11, and to bring the length of the stripexactly at right angles to the clamp pins 24 are provided near oppositeends of the jaw-plate 10 and spaced at such distances apart as to engagethe exposed edges of the slots s, through which the sheet is severed,and as these edges will always be in exact alinement and at right anglesto the length of the sheet its correct position on the cylinder willthereby always be secured. A number of parallel circumferential grooves25, corresponding with the number of lines of type, are shown as formedin the surface of the cylinder to receive the tongues t of the type,which project beneath the sheet and are made some deeper than theprojecting depth of these tongues, so that the type are, infact,resiliently supported by the sheet, instead of resting solidlyagainst the cylinder. This produces, in effect, a cushioning of theprinting-surface, which enables it to yield more or less and accommodateitself to the unevenness of the surface of the box or packing-case whichis being labeled, thus insuringa more perfect impression thereon thancould be obtained if such elastic mounting were not provided.

Lateral guides 2G for the type-sheet are herein shown as provided on theside plates 27 of the frame 2, between which the inkingrolls aremounted, and antifriction -rollers 28 are herein shown as mounted in thefront of the frame to form a rolling guide for the type-sheet as itpasses up between the frame and cylinder. To secure a frictionalengagement between the surface to be printed and the cylinder sufficientto insure proper rotation of' the latter, rubber bands or tires 29 mayconveniently be provided on the ends of the cylinder, as shown in Fig.10, and to prevent wear on these tires at the point on which thecylinder rests and tends to slide at the moment the locking-pin checksits rotation a metal lngr 30 is formed on the cylinder at that point totake the wear. The inkrolls themselves may be of any desiredconstruction, but as herein shown the roll 4 is a self-inking rollformed with a hollow center into Which ink may be poured through anysuitable normally corked aperture 31, the roll being provided Withperforations 32 to permit the ink to soak through into a felt covering33, forming the surface of the roll. `In such case the other rolls 5 and6 need not be inked, but will merely serve to better distribute upon thesurface of the type the ink applied thereto by the roll 4. The ends 34of the ink-rolls, or one or more of them,are furthermore shown as madeof slightly-greater diameter than that of their inking-surfaces andengage the edges of the flexible sheet outside of the type, so as toform a rolling guide for the sheet and prevent it from being inked. Asto these and other details of oonstruction described, however, it willbe obvious that they are incidental to rather than of the essence of thepresent improvements and although deemed satisfactory and desirable forthe purpose intended may be Widely varied Without departure from thebroad spirit of the invention claimed.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a printing-Wheel, the combination with ahandle-frame, a cylinder journaled therein, and inking devices mountedon the frame in proximity to the cylinder, of a ilexible type-sheetremovably clamped to the cylinder at its front end only, substantiallyas described.

2. In a printingwheel,- the combination with a handle-frame, a cylinderjournaled therein, and inking devices mounted on the frame in proximityto the cylinder, of a ilexible type-sheet removably clamped to thecylinder at its front end only, and independent types detachably securedto said type-sheet, substantially as described.

In a printing-Wheel, the combination with a handle-frame, a cylinderjournaled therein, and inking devices mounted on the frame in proximityto the cylinder, of a flexible type-sheet removably clamped to thecylinder at its front end only, type-receiving slots in said sheet, andindependent types removably inserted in said slots, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a printing-Wheel, the combination with a handle-frame, a cylinderjournaled therein, and inking devices mounted on the front of the framein proximity to the cylinder, of a stop device normally preventing thecylinder from rotating in the frame, a clamp on the cylinder locatedabove and to the rear of the inking devices when the cylinder is held bythe stop, and a flexible type-sheet having its front end detachably heldin the clamp and with its other end left free from the cylinder,substantially as described.

5. In a printing-wheel, the combination with a handle-frame, ofacylinder journaled therein, and a flexible type-sheet secured to saidcylinder, the cylinder being cut away beneath the type so that thelatter are resiliently supported by the type-sheet, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a printing-wheel, Vthe combination with a handle-frame, and acylinder journaled therein, of a flexible type-sheet secured tothecylinder, and independent types removably inserted in said sheet, thecylinder bein'g cut away beneath the types, substantially as described.

7. In a printing-Wheel, the combination with a cylinder, of a iiexibletype-sheet secured to said cylinder, type-receiving slots in `saidsheet, and independent types having tongues removably interlocking Withsaid slots, the cylinder being cut away circumferentially beneath thetype so as to leave the latter resiliently supported by the iiexibletype-sheet, substantially as described.

8. A type-sheet provided with individual type-receiving slots one foreach type, each slot being widened at its end, of independent lexibletype having grooved tongues each removably inserted in one of said slotsthrough the wider portion thereof, substantially as described.

9. In a printingwheel, the combination with a frame, and a cylinderjournaled therein, of a flexible type-sheet secured to the cylinder andhaving free lateral edges projecting beyond the type,and inking-rollersmounted on the frame and provided at their ends with bearing-surfacesmade larger than their inking-surfaces and serving to engage and guidethe free lateral edges of the type-sheet, substantially as described.

10. In a printing-Wheel, the combination with a frame, of acylinderjournaled therein, a flexible type-sheet secured to thecylinder, inking-rollers mounted on the frame for supplying ink to thesurface of the type, and lateral guides 26 secured to the frame on theentering side of such inking-rollers, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix mysignature, in presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 11th day ofOctober, A. D. 1901.

O. N. TEVANDER.

Witnesses:

HENRY W. CARTER, K. A. COSTELLO.

